The Hanging Tree
by Future-Mrs.Mellark
Summary: So see what its like for Katniss the day of her father's death.


Fan fiction. I love you Dad

**So this is the day died in the mine. Go through the day in Katniss's POV**

I woke up to a dreary day, it looked like it would rain. I hated when it rained, I felt as if it was going to be a sad day. I rolled of my tiny bed and went into our cold, and small kitchen. There I saw Mom cooking whatever little she could find, and Dad humming a sweet tune. The tune made me feel as if it was a nice summer day. I loved when my Dad sings or even hums, it makes the atmosphere feel different. It makes even the saddest person feel a little happy inside.

I sat down at our round wooden table, and waited for Mom to give me breakfast. Dad came to the table and sat with me. "Katniss would you like to go hunting today? Sharpen your skills?" I instantly answered yes, and gave my father a smile only certain people can pull out of me. He said "good, we'll go today. I get off early today, so I thought I could show you some new tricks!" A small wail came from the door, and then a tiny voice said "I wanna go too Daddy!" My father and I frowned when she said that. It was to much of a risk to take my little seven year old sister Prim into the woods. The main reason was she might get us caught. Either from yelling in the woods, or talking to someone about how her Father illegally hunts. I know my father wanted to take her, and saddens him to see her upset.

"Tell you what, Prim. When you're a little bit older I'll take you into the woods." Prim turned and questioned more, "when exactly? When I'm 11 like Katniss?" "Yes, Primrose. I promise. Do you trust my promise?" Prim's pale little face lit up and said "of course!" My father looked Prim into her blue eyes and said "now do me a favor. Don't speak about this conversation to anyone, okay?" Prim nodded her head, and her soft blonde curls bounced up and down. Dad took his olive tone pinky, and linked it with Prim's pale pinky. He softly said "you pinky promise?" Again Prim nodded her head in agreement.

Mom put down four bowls of oatmeal that didn't look appetizing at all. But I had to eat it, if I didn't I would go hungry and I didn't like that feeling. Amazingly I finished the oatmeal, while everyone else took longer to finish. Finally Prim finishes, and I usher her to our room so she can get dressed. I f she didn't hurry, we'll be late for school. I saw her out on a red plaid dress, that was mine from when I was five. Surprisingly it fits her since Prim is so much smaller than me at those ages. I just pull on an old green dress, and grab my school bag. I walk into the kitchen where Mom hands us our rather small lunch. She tells me I love you, gives me a kiss, and a good bye. This doesn't mean much to me, but it means the world to Prim.

I quietly step outside, and I hear the whistles of the beautiful Mocking Jays. But suddenly they stop singing, and I instantly know why. My father was singing a familiar song. I can't tell what it is until he sings this:

Are you, are you

Coming to the Tree

Where I told you to run. So we'd both be free.

I gasp Dad hasn't sung this song in such a long time. Not since Mom told him not to sing that song in front of Prim and I. Maybe she was afraid that we would sing that at the wrong moment, or find out the true meaning. I gasped to loud and Dad looked up and stopped singing the Hanging Tree.

He looked at me, his deep gray eyes were sad and full of sorrow. He walked towards me and said "don't ever forget that song. Just don't let your mom think you still know it." I smiled and said " of course." He gave me hug, and said "I love you, Prim, and your mother very much." I nodded, but in my mind I pondered why is he telling me this? Doesn't he know we already know this? I was going to question this but Prim came out and he said I love you and bye. Again this meant the world to her. We waved bye, and walked to the school building in town.

In the middle of History class, we heard the mine bells go off. Every time I hear the bell my heart drops, and my stomach flips in fear. The teacher leads us into the road, where I see my mother holding her heart and sobbing. I look around to find Prim. I find her and walk up to my teary mother. I firmly said "Mom what happened?" She ignored me and kept crying, a common seam woman with little children swarming around her answered me. She said " there was an explosion under the 2nd division, everyone died." She turned away and cried softly to herself.

My head felt light, my father was under the second division. So that meant he was dead, blown to bits, gone, no more, a mere piece of my life. A pang of sadness hit me and I felt like crying. Then I remembered Prim was with me so I had to be strong for her. How could I tell her that her dad was gone, and he's not coming back? I had to do it, and do it soon. I bent down to her level and softly said "Prim Dad isn't here anymore and he's not coming back. He's dead, gone, he's in a better place!" As soon as I said dead all my bottled in tears spilled out, and I held prim in a tight hug. I looked at her with my blurry vision and saw she was crying as well. Partially because she didn't to see people cry and that her Dad was gone.

We walked up to our mother for comfort but again she ignored us. But I let it go because she was grieving. All of Prim's friends came up to her, but I didn't expect anyone to say anything to me. I didn't have much friends, and if I did I doubt they would know what to say. Yet out of the corner of my eyes I saw a boy in my class with blonde hair wanting to walk up to me but he didn't. I watched my mother cry and cry, and it got worse every time someone came up to her. I grew tired of watching her cry, so I took her and Prim's hands and led them home. I didn't like people to see us sad, well them. I didn't cry much on the outside, on the inside I'm a wreck. I didn't show it like my mother and sister did.

A week passed and the government gave us money to hold us until Mom would find a job. I already knew she wouldn't get one. She would sit in the house and cry, probably thinking Dad would walk through the door anytime. They also gave me a medal, at the ceremony I saw the same women who told me my father died. Her eldest son is Gale, he's two years older than me.

More weeks passed and my mother left us. She left me to fend for Prim and I. Every week I grew angrier at her, for leaving us defenseless to the world. I didn't show my anger or tell her about it. I just tried to ration the money, and food but I was very unsuccessful. One day it ran out, and we would die of hunger.

**Thanks. Review. I'm adding more soon ****J**


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